Genres
Publication
Celadon Books (2019), 400 pages
Description
M.T. Edvardsson's A Nearly Normal Family is a gripping legal thriller that forces the listener to consider: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life-and one another. Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell stands accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone to kill him? Stella's father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member vintage-series-Lisa
Well, I couldn't put this book down! It had my attention from beginning to end.
It is divided into 3 parts. Telling the story from different points of view, all giving clues leading up to the murder, who did it, and why. The preacher-father's story is first, then the daughter's story, and finishing
This is a very well-written story. I would definitely read more from this author.
I was given this book from publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book.
It is divided into 3 parts. Telling the story from different points of view, all giving clues leading up to the murder, who did it, and why. The preacher-father's story is first, then the daughter's story, and finishing
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up with the lawyer-mom's story last during the court trial. This is a very well-written story. I would definitely read more from this author.
I was given this book from publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book.
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LibraryThing member annbury
In this family/courtroom thriller, an eighteen year old Swedish girl is on trial for the murder of her lover, a repellent and considerably older man. The story is told in three sections. The first is from the viewpoint of the girl's father, a pastor of the Church of Sweden. The middle one is from
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the viewpoint of the girl herself. The third is from the viewpoint of her mother, a criminal defense attorney. This means that the story -- or part of the story -- is told several times, and one of the fascinations of this novel is comparing and contrasting the different versions. We don't arrive at the definitive answer, however, until the end of the book, so the story keeps pulling the reader along. 'One more chapter", I found my self saying. A very compelling read. Show Less
LibraryThing member juju2cat
A highly absorbing book about a nearly perfect family. At least perfect in their own minds. There is a great depth to this story and I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Celadon Press for a copy for my review.
LibraryThing member lowelibrary
A well written family drama around a murder. The book is written from the perspectives of the father, the mother and the suspect (their daughter). The book flows through each narrative carrying the story forward while feeling in small holes in the story.
I feel that the mother's story was not as
Only 4 stars because the book did not leave me hanging on every word.
I feel that the mother's story was not as
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compelling as the other two and had figured out most of her narrative by the time I got to eat. Only 4 stars because the book did not leave me hanging on every word.
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LibraryThing member Bonnie.Franks
This book was amazing! A legal thriller based in Sweden! Legal thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this is the first one I have read where the laws were not quite the same as those in the U.S. The ways in which the laws differ added another element to the already twisty, frightening,
You can read what the book is about on the cover of the book. I can tell you how it feels. There are three narrators, and you come to know each one at a predictable pace. That is the only thing predictable about this book. I would be reading along, feeling I already knew this particular character, and had an excellent idea where this was leading, and a sentence would nearly slip by me that changed the whole outlook. It is written that well. You are not hit over the head with the twists and the unexpected, they are slipped in quietly, causing you to doubt yourself. What fun!
The father is a pastor, the mother is a criminal defense attorney, and the daughter is 18 years old and accused of murdering a 32 year old man. And wait until you meet them. You will be pulled in and will devour as much of the book as you possibly can at a time.
This Advance Reading Copy was provided to me by the publisher, Celadon. Thank you so much! #ANearlyNormalFamily
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enthralling telling of this story.You can read what the book is about on the cover of the book. I can tell you how it feels. There are three narrators, and you come to know each one at a predictable pace. That is the only thing predictable about this book. I would be reading along, feeling I already knew this particular character, and had an excellent idea where this was leading, and a sentence would nearly slip by me that changed the whole outlook. It is written that well. You are not hit over the head with the twists and the unexpected, they are slipped in quietly, causing you to doubt yourself. What fun!
The father is a pastor, the mother is a criminal defense attorney, and the daughter is 18 years old and accused of murdering a 32 year old man. And wait until you meet them. You will be pulled in and will devour as much of the book as you possibly can at a time.
This Advance Reading Copy was provided to me by the publisher, Celadon. Thank you so much! #ANearlyNormalFamily
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LibraryThing member PattyLouise
A Nearly Normal Family
By
M.T. Edvarsson
What it's all about...
This is kind of a unique book told from three different perspectives...the mother...an attorney...the father...a pastor and Stella...the daughter. Stella has been accused of violently murdering a man...potentially her lover. Stella is 18
My thoughts after reading this book...
It was fascinating realizing what both of these parents were capable of doing to ensure that their daughter wound be free of her murder accusation. Their morals seemed to vanish when their daughter was accused.
What I loved best...
I loved reading about the feelings of each character about this crime. I disliked all three characters. The parents were messy...not always honest and were not able to view Stella as others viewed her. The more I read the more I realized why. These people were terribly flawed. All of them...
What potential readers might want to know...
This was an interesting book about a family in crisis.
I received this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my choice to read and review it.
By
M.T. Edvarsson
What it's all about...
This is kind of a unique book told from three different perspectives...the mother...an attorney...the father...a pastor and Stella...the daughter. Stella has been accused of violently murdering a man...potentially her lover. Stella is 18
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and not always a stable peaceful person. My thoughts after reading this book...
It was fascinating realizing what both of these parents were capable of doing to ensure that their daughter wound be free of her murder accusation. Their morals seemed to vanish when their daughter was accused.
What I loved best...
I loved reading about the feelings of each character about this crime. I disliked all three characters. The parents were messy...not always honest and were not able to view Stella as others viewed her. The more I read the more I realized why. These people were terribly flawed. All of them...
What potential readers might want to know...
This was an interesting book about a family in crisis.
I received this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my choice to read and review it.
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LibraryThing member Darcia
I don't know what "normal" is, but I think it's just a concept and never a reality. With this book, Edvardsson takes the image of a perfect family, pries it apart, and shows us all the flaws beneath that are probably more normal than the pretty facade.
The pace is a slow burn that gradually
The content is both current and timeless, relatable, heartbreaking, and yet somehow filled with hope.
This is an exceptionally well written, emotional read that I absolutely loved.
*I received a review copy from BookishFirst and Celadon Books.*
The pace is a slow burn that gradually
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increases in intensity and urgency. While it is, in part, a legal thriller, I'd classify it as more literary suspense. The story is, first and foremost, about the characters, the choices they make, the way their lives intertwine, and that ripple effect of one decision setting the course to disaster. The content is both current and timeless, relatable, heartbreaking, and yet somehow filled with hope.
This is an exceptionally well written, emotional read that I absolutely loved.
*I received a review copy from BookishFirst and Celadon Books.*
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LibraryThing member maggiewurzer
A psychological thriller, a legal drama, a family drama - this book is everything! It's all about the characters. Told from the point of view of three different unreliable narrators, not only do the characters not know who to trust, but you don't know who to trust either! How far would you go to
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defend your child? (My mom would totally throw me to the wolves if she thought I was guilty.) The characters each take the reader through one of three phase of the trial from their own point of view with their own struggles and opinions. It starts off a bit slow, but keep going! You'll totally be hooked in the last two thirds! Show Less
LibraryThing member Sharn
I was hoping for action but unfortunately this courtroom drama was not action packed. Doesn’t make it a bad book, it was quite good, actually.
The story was told from 3 different point of views and I find, more often than not, that parts of the story become redundant making the story longer than
I was reminded of Defending Jacob when I read this with it taking place in the courtroom and a family having to defend their child. And both beg the question, How far would you go for your child??
The story was told from 3 different point of views and I find, more often than not, that parts of the story become redundant making the story longer than
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it needs to be.I was reminded of Defending Jacob when I read this with it taking place in the courtroom and a family having to defend their child. And both beg the question, How far would you go for your child??
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LibraryThing member Cherylk
Calling all readers of psychological thrillers. You won't want to miss this book. I guarantee that A Nearly Normal Family will be one of the hottest books of 2019! Don't walk but run or click your nearest bookstore and order a copy of this book.
I really like the format of this book. It is broken
I thought I had everything figured out when the one big shocker came at the end out of left field. It will leave you speechless. In fact, I am still a bit in shock and I finished this book a few days ago. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I really like the format of this book. It is broken
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out into three sections. The "father", "daughter", and "mother". It allowed me to each the whole picture from a different point of view. Yet, I was never reading repeated parts of the story. It progressed with each voice; thus keeping the story moving along without growing stale. I thought I had everything figured out when the one big shocker came at the end out of left field. It will leave you speechless. In fact, I am still a bit in shock and I finished this book a few days ago. I look forward to reading more by this author.
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LibraryThing member carole888fort
A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson is a legal thriller with a difference. It involves a Swedish family: the father who is a pastor, the mother who is a criminal defense attorney and an eighteen-year-old daughter, Stella. Life as they know it suddenly becomes a nightmare when Stella is
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arrested and jailed for allegedly committing a horrific crime. The author divides the novel into three parts as each family member describes the events leading up to the arrest, giving the reader three points-of-view to help solve the mystery. I recommend A Nearly Normal Family to readers who enjoy legal mysteries unlike the usual. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member gail616
Very good read. Interesting
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
This is the beautifully written story of a family involved in a murder. It is told through the eyes of each member - the father who is a pastor, the mother who is a defense attorney and the 17-year-old daughter who stands accused of the crime. Not only is the writing superior, so is the plot.
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Simply put, I loved this book and consider it one of the best ones I have read in a very long time. Exceptional! Show Less
LibraryThing member caanderson
I liked the switching back and forth between the different characters versions of the events. Good characters and the story moves a good pace.
LibraryThing member khal_khaleesi
(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)
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Legal thrillers usually aren't my thing. In fact, I find them to be more a snooze fest than anything else. However, when I read the synopsis for A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson, I was intrigued. I just want to say that this
The plot for A Nearly Normal Family is very intriguing indeed. Eighteen year old Stella becomes involved with an older man named Christopher. She's having the time of her life. When she learns more about her romantic interest, she's having a hard time believing the bad stuff is true. It's not long before Christopher is found murdered, and Stella is the main suspect. Told from the point of view from Stella's father, Stella, and Stella's mother, we learn what really happened that night, what led to all of this drama, and what happens afterwards. We also learn how far people will go to protect the ones they love. I found myself not wanting to guess what happened with this book. I wanted everything to be a complete surprise which it was. There are a few twists and turns throughout this novel which I did enjoy. I loved that this book tied up any loose ends by the end of the book, and nothing was left to speculation. I hate having to guess what happened after the main mystery has been solved, so I was thrilled when I had all my answers. I'm a stickler for closure!
The characters were all very well developed and fleshed out enough that they felt real. We are introduced to Adam, Stella's father, first. We see his relationship with his daughter, his wife, and with God since he's a pastor. He relies heavily on his faith to get him through things. He's an upstanding member of the community and very trustworthy. I found Adam to be the most interesting to read about. It was interesting to read about his response to his daughter being accused of murder. Next, we are introduced to Stella's point of view. Stella is accused of murdering her boyfriend, Christopher. She's eighteen and has a devil may care attitude when it comes to everything. Some points throughout the book, I felt she was innocent of the crime, but there were other times she seemed very guilty. I couldn't figure her out. It was interesting to read about what had happened throughout her young life to get to the predicament she was in. Finally, we learn the perspective from Ulrika, Stella's mother. I didn't think I would be able to connect with Ulrika right at first, but I found myself understanding her quickly. Ulrika is a criminal defense attorney, so it was interesting reading about her perspective on everything. I was happy that Ulrika didn't use legal jargon too often. Although we don't get to read things from her perspective, the character of Amina, Stella's best friend, was also intriguing. I loved reading about the girls' friendship throughout the years and how loyal they were to one another.
The pacing was spot on! Every time the story would change perspectives, I thought I'd get bored with the change of character, but I was sucked in right away same as before. I devoured page after page of A Nearly Normal Family. I couldn't wait to find out more and learn about motives and what would happen.
Trigger warnings include profanity, alcohol use, drug use, violence (not very graphic), rape (not very graphic, mentions of sex (not graphic), and murder.
Overall, A Nearly Normal Family is a very intriguing read that pulls you in from the very first page and doesn't let you go even after it ends. I would definitely recommend A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson to those aged 18 who like to get lost in well written thrillers!
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
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Legal thrillers usually aren't my thing. In fact, I find them to be more a snooze fest than anything else. However, when I read the synopsis for A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson, I was intrigued. I just want to say that this
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book blew me away! It was that good!The plot for A Nearly Normal Family is very intriguing indeed. Eighteen year old Stella becomes involved with an older man named Christopher. She's having the time of her life. When she learns more about her romantic interest, she's having a hard time believing the bad stuff is true. It's not long before Christopher is found murdered, and Stella is the main suspect. Told from the point of view from Stella's father, Stella, and Stella's mother, we learn what really happened that night, what led to all of this drama, and what happens afterwards. We also learn how far people will go to protect the ones they love. I found myself not wanting to guess what happened with this book. I wanted everything to be a complete surprise which it was. There are a few twists and turns throughout this novel which I did enjoy. I loved that this book tied up any loose ends by the end of the book, and nothing was left to speculation. I hate having to guess what happened after the main mystery has been solved, so I was thrilled when I had all my answers. I'm a stickler for closure!
The characters were all very well developed and fleshed out enough that they felt real. We are introduced to Adam, Stella's father, first. We see his relationship with his daughter, his wife, and with God since he's a pastor. He relies heavily on his faith to get him through things. He's an upstanding member of the community and very trustworthy. I found Adam to be the most interesting to read about. It was interesting to read about his response to his daughter being accused of murder. Next, we are introduced to Stella's point of view. Stella is accused of murdering her boyfriend, Christopher. She's eighteen and has a devil may care attitude when it comes to everything. Some points throughout the book, I felt she was innocent of the crime, but there were other times she seemed very guilty. I couldn't figure her out. It was interesting to read about what had happened throughout her young life to get to the predicament she was in. Finally, we learn the perspective from Ulrika, Stella's mother. I didn't think I would be able to connect with Ulrika right at first, but I found myself understanding her quickly. Ulrika is a criminal defense attorney, so it was interesting reading about her perspective on everything. I was happy that Ulrika didn't use legal jargon too often. Although we don't get to read things from her perspective, the character of Amina, Stella's best friend, was also intriguing. I loved reading about the girls' friendship throughout the years and how loyal they were to one another.
The pacing was spot on! Every time the story would change perspectives, I thought I'd get bored with the change of character, but I was sucked in right away same as before. I devoured page after page of A Nearly Normal Family. I couldn't wait to find out more and learn about motives and what would happen.
Trigger warnings include profanity, alcohol use, drug use, violence (not very graphic), rape (not very graphic, mentions of sex (not graphic), and murder.
Overall, A Nearly Normal Family is a very intriguing read that pulls you in from the very first page and doesn't let you go even after it ends. I would definitely recommend A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson to those aged 18 who like to get lost in well written thrillers!
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
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LibraryThing member LynnB
As the novel opens, we learn that 18-year-old Stella Sandell is charged with the murder of Chris Olsen, a thirty-something man she's been involved with. This story is partly a courtroom drama and partly the story of a family. It explores what parents would do to protect their children, and how
The book is told in three parts. The first is narrated by Stella's father, Adam, who is a pastor. It looks mostly at the story of Stella's life and the way he raised her. The second is narrated by Stella herself, with the focus being on her time in prison awaiting trial...and on her relationship with Chris. The final part is narrated by Stella's mother, Ulrika, who is a defense attorney. Its focus is the trial, and this is where we learn about what really happened, not only about the murder, but what Stella's parents and best friend, Amina, did upon learning of Stella's arrest.
I though the book was good -- not great. Some interesting twists and the characters were fascinating.
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strong the bonds of friendship can be.The book is told in three parts. The first is narrated by Stella's father, Adam, who is a pastor. It looks mostly at the story of Stella's life and the way he raised her. The second is narrated by Stella herself, with the focus being on her time in prison awaiting trial...and on her relationship with Chris. The final part is narrated by Stella's mother, Ulrika, who is a defense attorney. Its focus is the trial, and this is where we learn about what really happened, not only about the murder, but what Stella's parents and best friend, Amina, did upon learning of Stella's arrest.
I though the book was good -- not great. Some interesting twists and the characters were fascinating.
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LibraryThing member GrandmaCootie
A Nearly Normal Family is a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of a family that seems on the surface to be average and rather boring and forces you to think about what you might do if your family was threatened and if your morals might shift.
The story starts out in Adam’s voice and grabs
As we learn more about the Sandell family they all seem odd. Is Stella a Bad Seed? Is there much, much more going on under the surface with a really unreliable narrator and huge twist or reveal coming, or is this a family of three with each living more or less in their own little world? Or are they all together in some kind of conspiracy?
Part Two is Stella’s voice, and we really don’t learn any more about her actions or motives. All we learn is that she is very smart, very clever. The Disney reference to Lady on a meatball date is pretty cute. And is, ““I don’t know if it’s worth it, if I can handle it.” a clue? Should we start to think that Adam may have somehow done this when Stella reflects that It’s awfully ironic that the sides of me that bother Dad most are the things I inherited from him? The suspense continues to build.
Part Three is in the mostly absent mom’s voice. You are kept guessing whether she and Stella have truly finally bonded after years of Stella being a daddy’s girl or not. And you have the sense she has some underlying motive or activity going on that Adam and Stella aren’t aware of.
A Nearly Normal Family is a complex story keeps you guessing, with a satisfying ending that you won’t see coming. Unfortunately, I couldn’t feel empathy or sympathy for any of these characters, including the lawyer, and I was often impatient with Adam’s and Stella’s seeming willingness to try and place the blame on someone else.
Thanks to Celadon Books for providing the advance copy of A Nearly Normal Family in exchange for my honest opinion. I recommend it as an exciting summer read.
The story starts out in Adam’s voice and grabs
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you right away. Even in the prologue you don’t know what he is going to say when questioned by the police, and it Immediately sets up the possibility of him lying rather than telling the truth, of doing whatever is necessary to save his daughter. The writing starts off rather stilted, whether because it’s a translation from a Swedish author or because this is the way Adam is I’m not sure, but it works well. Adam is a pastor but that seems very secondary. The primary impression of him is that he is just odd. And that there is a lot more to him than what you see.As we learn more about the Sandell family they all seem odd. Is Stella a Bad Seed? Is there much, much more going on under the surface with a really unreliable narrator and huge twist or reveal coming, or is this a family of three with each living more or less in their own little world? Or are they all together in some kind of conspiracy?
Part Two is Stella’s voice, and we really don’t learn any more about her actions or motives. All we learn is that she is very smart, very clever. The Disney reference to Lady on a meatball date is pretty cute. And is, ““I don’t know if it’s worth it, if I can handle it.” a clue? Should we start to think that Adam may have somehow done this when Stella reflects that It’s awfully ironic that the sides of me that bother Dad most are the things I inherited from him? The suspense continues to build.
Part Three is in the mostly absent mom’s voice. You are kept guessing whether she and Stella have truly finally bonded after years of Stella being a daddy’s girl or not. And you have the sense she has some underlying motive or activity going on that Adam and Stella aren’t aware of.
A Nearly Normal Family is a complex story keeps you guessing, with a satisfying ending that you won’t see coming. Unfortunately, I couldn’t feel empathy or sympathy for any of these characters, including the lawyer, and I was often impatient with Adam’s and Stella’s seeming willingness to try and place the blame on someone else.
Thanks to Celadon Books for providing the advance copy of A Nearly Normal Family in exchange for my honest opinion. I recommend it as an exciting summer read.
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LibraryThing member Whisper1
Originally, when reading this book, I thought it seemed to drag. Yet, as I continued, I was captivated by the story of parents who seemed to spoil and not hold their daughter accountable for her sociopathic behaviors. Throughout school, Stella was noted as a bully who did not follow rules of
As the plot unfolds we learn that both Stella and her best friend Amina, were interested in this older man who used both. The ending is a surprise.
While I cannot rate the book highly, it did hold my attention because the writing was very good.
Three Stars.
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acceptable actions. Her parents, a mother who is a lawyer, and a father who is a pastor with the Church of Sweden, paid a high price for their lack of discipline when Stella landed in jail, accused of murdering an older man. His badly mutilated body contained many stab wounds. Finding her blood stained top, her father immediately tried to wash the garment. Later we learn that her mother burned this evidence. Again, even in adulthood, the parents cover for this child.As the plot unfolds we learn that both Stella and her best friend Amina, were interested in this older man who used both. The ending is a surprise.
While I cannot rate the book highly, it did hold my attention because the writing was very good.
Three Stars.
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LibraryThing member thorold
Stella lives the preacher's-daughter cliché to the full, a teenager who has been in every possible sort of minor trouble, from smoking pot to crashing her parents' car while driving underage. She seems to be overdoing things a little, however, when she gets arrested for murder a week after her
Edvardsson uses the old dodge of dividing the book between three successive narrators, who each tell us a slightly different version of the story, so that we are made to guess that (at least) one of the three must be doing a Roger Ackroyd. It's all very cleverly set up, and it has a nice American-style courtroom-drama climax. Stella's father, Adam, is a clergyman; her mother, Ulrika, a lawyer. Both are pushed into uncomfortable dilemmas of professional ethics by their need to protect their daughter. There is a very up-to-date theme of sexual violence and the difficulties women face in bringing male aggression to light, as well, even if Edvardsson doesn't seem to have anything very surprising to say about this.
Where the book seems to fall down a little is in the balance between the three narrators. Stella and Ulrika are both interesting, unpredictable and witty characters; Adam isn't, he's dull and humourless, has difficulties in expressing his feelings, is sent off the rails by his monomania about proving Stella's innocence, and clearly isn't much liked by the author. Which is unfortunate, given that his first-person narration takes up the first 40% of the book and has to do all the spade-work of telling us who these people are and what has happened to them. I suspect a lot of readers will give up before they get to the Stella section.
Obviously it's also risky trying to transfer the courtroom-drama device to the Swedish civil-law system, where all the drama is supposed to happen long before the case ever gets to court. Even without being familiar with Swedish procedure, it is fairly obvious that Edvardsson must be cheating a little here, but he just about gets away with it...
Not a riveting masterpiece, but a perfectly competent page-turner with some very good bits in it.
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eighteenth birthday. But what, exactly, has happened: did she actually kill millionaire playboy (yes, really: they still have those in Lund in the 21st century, it seems) Chris Olsen?Edvardsson uses the old dodge of dividing the book between three successive narrators, who each tell us a slightly different version of the story, so that we are made to guess that (at least) one of the three must be doing a Roger Ackroyd. It's all very cleverly set up, and it has a nice American-style courtroom-drama climax. Stella's father, Adam, is a clergyman; her mother, Ulrika, a lawyer. Both are pushed into uncomfortable dilemmas of professional ethics by their need to protect their daughter. There is a very up-to-date theme of sexual violence and the difficulties women face in bringing male aggression to light, as well, even if Edvardsson doesn't seem to have anything very surprising to say about this.
Where the book seems to fall down a little is in the balance between the three narrators. Stella and Ulrika are both interesting, unpredictable and witty characters; Adam isn't, he's dull and humourless, has difficulties in expressing his feelings, is sent off the rails by his monomania about proving Stella's innocence, and clearly isn't much liked by the author. Which is unfortunate, given that his first-person narration takes up the first 40% of the book and has to do all the spade-work of telling us who these people are and what has happened to them. I suspect a lot of readers will give up before they get to the Stella section.
Obviously it's also risky trying to transfer the courtroom-drama device to the Swedish civil-law system, where all the drama is supposed to happen long before the case ever gets to court. Even without being familiar with Swedish procedure, it is fairly obvious that Edvardsson must be cheating a little here, but he just about gets away with it...
Not a riveting masterpiece, but a perfectly competent page-turner with some very good bits in it.
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LibraryThing member purple_pisces22
Mom, dad, daughter. The perfect family. Until daughter is accused of murder. How is this possible when daughter has been raised to be such a good person? Or has she?
A pretty decent letter mystery story with a few twists along the way. The story is told in three points of view - mom, dad, and
A pretty decent letter mystery story with a few twists along the way. The story is told in three points of view - mom, dad, and
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daughter. The ending was surprising. It was not what I expected at all. I look forward to more from M. T. Edvardsson. Show Less
LibraryThing member medwards429
“A Nearly Normal Family” is author M.T. Edvardsson’s first book published to the United States. Previously he has authored three novels and two books for young readers in Sweden. It is translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles. I received an ARC through BookishFirst in exchange for an honest
This legal drama/thriller has elements of murder, sexual assault, prisoner abuse, and mental health issues.
The story is told in three parts, all in first person:
** Adam, the father, a pastor (prologue to Chapter 41)
** Stella, the troubled daughter, accused of murder (Chapters 42-82)
** Ulrika, the mother, a lawyer (Chapter 83-109; as of note, this is the shortest part of the book)
At the center of the story is Stella Sandell. Recently turned 18 and accused of a brutal murder of a business man 15 years her senior. How does she know him and why would she kill him? How did the daughter of a pastor and lawyer go so wrong?
The father’s perspective starts out the novel. He begins with what leads up to their daughter’s arrest with slowly added histories of how they became a family. He also recounts the troubles and indiscretions his daughter had when she was younger, along with a troubling sexual assault. He also re-examines his daughter’s troubling behaviors to wonder if she is guilty or innocent. But, he cannot bring himself to tell the truth if it will convict her.
As the investigation unfolds, he gets caught up in wanting to know the truth and begins to do his own research. From questioning a witness to his daughter’s friend, Adam will stop at nothing to save the daughter he now barely knows, if he did at all.
Stella’s side is that of a rebellious and ungrateful teenager. She scrutinizes the jail system she now finds herself in, her relationship with her parents, relationship with her best friend Amina, along with an incident she’d used to get back at her father which backfired. Stella also tells of the counseling and abuse by the staff in jail along with the nightmares she suffers. It is here where the reader learns Stella’s connection with the businessman she’s accused of murdering.
Ulrika’s side starts with Stella’s murder trial. She recalls how her relationship with Stella was, and how Ulrika didn’t know her daughter after a while. It also goes through more of Stella’s friendship with Amina as well as Ulrika’s closeness to Amina.
This is where the reader will hit the heart and soul of the novel – as well as what lengths a parent would go to in protecting their child and how everything plays out.
The truth isn’t revealed until the final pages of the epilogue. Edvardsson is careful to drop hints throughout, though in Ulrika’s part, it is pretty clear as to who the killer is.
It was an interesting read over a three day period. It wasn’t particularly overwhelming, but it wasn’t boring. The insight into the Swedish justice system is educational – and definitely differs from the American system quite a bit. The family issues and themes tried to be strong.
Each character seemingly had their own agenda. Adam was trying to create a “nearly normal family” and ignoring signs involving Stella. He seems like a doting and responsible father. He’s about the only one I felt sorry for in this mess.
I found Stella to be impatient, rude, obnoxious, rebellious, and ungrateful. In one scene she puts herself in harm’s way in an effort to get back at her father. She seemingly has no remorse for most of her actions – she just says and does what she wants, regardless of consequences. She does have some loyalty to her friend Amina though.
I had no sympathy for Stella, and didn’t care if she ended up in prison or not. Most of what happened to her was the result of her bad choices. Behavioral disorders are tossed out, but she doesn’t like labels and none seem to fit. It’s worse when Amina, her childhood friend, simply states “well, she … she’s just the way she is. She’s Stella, there’s no one else like her”.
Ulrika came off as selfish. She regretted she thought more of her career than being a mom, which is something she’d wanted – being a mom that is. Despite knowing she was doing the wrong thing, she kept doing it though. There is even a hint at infidelity. Ulrika’s decision could result in Stella being convicted.
The novel has a good premise – a young girl being accused of murdering someone that no one knows she knew. There were twists and turns, along with self reflection.
For those who enjoy this type of genre, it might be a good read. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, wowed, or excited by it – but it wasn’t the worse thing I’ve read either. It could’ve been that it was a dark read or the translation. It did hold my interest long enough to finish it though.
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review. This legal drama/thriller has elements of murder, sexual assault, prisoner abuse, and mental health issues.
The story is told in three parts, all in first person:
** Adam, the father, a pastor (prologue to Chapter 41)
** Stella, the troubled daughter, accused of murder (Chapters 42-82)
** Ulrika, the mother, a lawyer (Chapter 83-109; as of note, this is the shortest part of the book)
At the center of the story is Stella Sandell. Recently turned 18 and accused of a brutal murder of a business man 15 years her senior. How does she know him and why would she kill him? How did the daughter of a pastor and lawyer go so wrong?
The father’s perspective starts out the novel. He begins with what leads up to their daughter’s arrest with slowly added histories of how they became a family. He also recounts the troubles and indiscretions his daughter had when she was younger, along with a troubling sexual assault. He also re-examines his daughter’s troubling behaviors to wonder if she is guilty or innocent. But, he cannot bring himself to tell the truth if it will convict her.
As the investigation unfolds, he gets caught up in wanting to know the truth and begins to do his own research. From questioning a witness to his daughter’s friend, Adam will stop at nothing to save the daughter he now barely knows, if he did at all.
Stella’s side is that of a rebellious and ungrateful teenager. She scrutinizes the jail system she now finds herself in, her relationship with her parents, relationship with her best friend Amina, along with an incident she’d used to get back at her father which backfired. Stella also tells of the counseling and abuse by the staff in jail along with the nightmares she suffers. It is here where the reader learns Stella’s connection with the businessman she’s accused of murdering.
Ulrika’s side starts with Stella’s murder trial. She recalls how her relationship with Stella was, and how Ulrika didn’t know her daughter after a while. It also goes through more of Stella’s friendship with Amina as well as Ulrika’s closeness to Amina.
This is where the reader will hit the heart and soul of the novel – as well as what lengths a parent would go to in protecting their child and how everything plays out.
The truth isn’t revealed until the final pages of the epilogue. Edvardsson is careful to drop hints throughout, though in Ulrika’s part, it is pretty clear as to who the killer is.
It was an interesting read over a three day period. It wasn’t particularly overwhelming, but it wasn’t boring. The insight into the Swedish justice system is educational – and definitely differs from the American system quite a bit. The family issues and themes tried to be strong.
Each character seemingly had their own agenda. Adam was trying to create a “nearly normal family” and ignoring signs involving Stella. He seems like a doting and responsible father. He’s about the only one I felt sorry for in this mess.
I found Stella to be impatient, rude, obnoxious, rebellious, and ungrateful. In one scene she puts herself in harm’s way in an effort to get back at her father. She seemingly has no remorse for most of her actions – she just says and does what she wants, regardless of consequences. She does have some loyalty to her friend Amina though.
I had no sympathy for Stella, and didn’t care if she ended up in prison or not. Most of what happened to her was the result of her bad choices. Behavioral disorders are tossed out, but she doesn’t like labels and none seem to fit. It’s worse when Amina, her childhood friend, simply states “well, she … she’s just the way she is. She’s Stella, there’s no one else like her”.
Ulrika came off as selfish. She regretted she thought more of her career than being a mom, which is something she’d wanted – being a mom that is. Despite knowing she was doing the wrong thing, she kept doing it though. There is even a hint at infidelity. Ulrika’s decision could result in Stella being convicted.
The novel has a good premise – a young girl being accused of murdering someone that no one knows she knew. There were twists and turns, along with self reflection.
For those who enjoy this type of genre, it might be a good read. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, wowed, or excited by it – but it wasn’t the worse thing I’ve read either. It could’ve been that it was a dark read or the translation. It did hold my interest long enough to finish it though.
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LibraryThing member yvonnekins
A Nearly Normal Family is a legal thriller that takes place after Stella Sandell is arrested for murder. It takes place in three parts, the first part of the book is from her father’s point-of-view, and then Stella’s, and in the end we get her mother’s. The book tries to explore whether
I rated this five stars not because it’s flawless, because it’s not, but because it was the first book in a long time that had kept me captivated enough to finish it in one day, because it did everything it set out to do, and because I fell in love with the Swedish family at the center of it all.
This book is translated from Swedish, and so the writing is a tough thing to talk about. There are parts of the book where the language seems choppy and doesn’t flow perfectly, which would bug me a lot in a work that was originally written in English, but I don’t know the difficulties in translating Swedish to English and keeping all the nuances of the narrative intact, so I was willing to overlook it. Plus, it was a huge improvement from the last thriller and first-person narrative I read which was originally written in English and which I DNF’ed.
The plot itself is pretty typical for a legal thriller. There was a murder, a suspect is being tried, but did they do it? And if they did will they be found guilty?
Admittedly, one of the interesting parts of this book was reading about Swedish prisons and the legal system in place. I don’t think any country has found the magic formula for a fool-proof system, but it was interesting to read a story written by a Swedish man that touched on how things worked, what the general population in Sweden thinks about their own legal system, and how prisoners are treated. This is still a work of fiction though so everything I read was taken with a grain of salt.
The twists in the plot aren’t super unpredictable. They were fun, sure, but it wasn’t quite a roller-coaster. I didn’t mind that at all though, and I still enjoyed this immensely even if I did start to work it out for myself before the ending. Half the fun though is the anticipation of finally getting the confirmation of being right.
What really kept me reading, though, where the characters. The further you get into this the more you learn about the night of the murder and what happened leading up to it, but with each perspective you learn more and more about the family.
When you read from Adam’s perspective you think he’s just a protective father who loves his daughter, though some of his decisions were frustrating, part of me actually thought he was justified.
That being said, my favorite part of the book was the middle. Stella’s perspective because the most surprising part of the whole book was how much I liked her. I don’t want to give away too much, but, in my opinion she reads like a teenage girl, which isn’t a perspective I often find is done well by adult male authors.
I don’t want to say too much about what I liked about them because in a way, the twists are as much about the family and how we see each of its members as we find out more about what happened leading up to and in the aftermath of the murder as they are about the murder case itself.
I’m hoping that this author continues to write and that his works continue to be translated into English because I’d love to read more of his stuff. Maybe the translations will lose their choppiness as time goes on as well.
I’d highly recommend this book!
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members of the same family know each other as well as they think, and where the limits of loyalty lie.I rated this five stars not because it’s flawless, because it’s not, but because it was the first book in a long time that had kept me captivated enough to finish it in one day, because it did everything it set out to do, and because I fell in love with the Swedish family at the center of it all.
This book is translated from Swedish, and so the writing is a tough thing to talk about. There are parts of the book where the language seems choppy and doesn’t flow perfectly, which would bug me a lot in a work that was originally written in English, but I don’t know the difficulties in translating Swedish to English and keeping all the nuances of the narrative intact, so I was willing to overlook it. Plus, it was a huge improvement from the last thriller and first-person narrative I read which was originally written in English and which I DNF’ed.
The plot itself is pretty typical for a legal thriller. There was a murder, a suspect is being tried, but did they do it? And if they did will they be found guilty?
Admittedly, one of the interesting parts of this book was reading about Swedish prisons and the legal system in place. I don’t think any country has found the magic formula for a fool-proof system, but it was interesting to read a story written by a Swedish man that touched on how things worked, what the general population in Sweden thinks about their own legal system, and how prisoners are treated. This is still a work of fiction though so everything I read was taken with a grain of salt.
The twists in the plot aren’t super unpredictable. They were fun, sure, but it wasn’t quite a roller-coaster. I didn’t mind that at all though, and I still enjoyed this immensely even if I did start to work it out for myself before the ending. Half the fun though is the anticipation of finally getting the confirmation of being right.
What really kept me reading, though, where the characters. The further you get into this the more you learn about the night of the murder and what happened leading up to it, but with each perspective you learn more and more about the family.
When you read from Adam’s perspective you think he’s just a protective father who loves his daughter, though some of his decisions were frustrating, part of me actually thought he was justified.
That being said, my favorite part of the book was the middle. Stella’s perspective because the most surprising part of the whole book was how much I liked her. I don’t want to give away too much, but, in my opinion she reads like a teenage girl, which isn’t a perspective I often find is done well by adult male authors.
I don’t want to say too much about what I liked about them because in a way, the twists are as much about the family and how we see each of its members as we find out more about what happened leading up to and in the aftermath of the murder as they are about the murder case itself.
I’m hoping that this author continues to write and that his works continue to be translated into English because I’d love to read more of his stuff. Maybe the translations will lose their choppiness as time goes on as well.
I’d highly recommend this book!
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LibraryThing member amandanan
4.5 simply for the fact that the dad’s part was dull compared to the daughter’s and mother’s. Also, top 5 epilogue I’ve ever read. And I didn’t read it before the rest of the book!
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
A Nearly Normal Family by Swedish author M. T. Edvardsson. Edvardsson has written 3 books for adults and 2 for young adults. This is the first of his books translated into English.
The questions are: how well do you know your children and to what lengths would you go to protect them?
When 18-year old
Adam Sandell is a pastor in the Church of Sweden in the small town of Lund. His wife, Stella’s mother, is a prominent criminal defense attorney.
They seem to have the perfect family, successful and peaceful. Yet there are things brewing below the surface.
The narrative is n three parts: Adam’s story about how he found God, married Ulrika, had Stella and his hopes and desires for her. He tells his story in a very peaceful way, similar to how a pastor should act.
Stella, a rebellious 18-year old’s story is more energetic and is about a controlling father, an absentee mother and her desire to be herself, not anyone else’s idea of who and what she should be. And she talks about her best friend, Amina, the perfect child.
Ulrika’s story is about a mother who is not as popular with her daughter as is her husband, a mother who prefers working at things she can win, such as criminal trials but sees a means of reconnecting with her daughter as Stella remains in jail and goes to trial.
In reality, neither Adam nor Ulrika know their daughter or have any control over her lfie. The question is whether they will sacrifice their moral code (Adam) or their ethical code (Ulrika) to keep their daughter our of prison?
A Nearly Normal Family is engrossing and once you start reading, you just want to keep on reading. Not quite a mystery nor a courtroom drama nor a police procedural, it is a story of a fractured family keeping up appearances and testing the glue that holds the family together. And yet, it is a book for mystery lovers because you don't know what really happened until the very end...although you may have some ideas along the way.
I can’t wait to see what Edvardsson comes up with next. It is a good mystery from an author to be on the lookout for.
The questions are: how well do you know your children and to what lengths would you go to protect them?
When 18-year old
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Stella Sandell is arrested for the murder of 33 year old Christopher Olsen, her parents are shocked. How could Stella possibly know the ‘old’ business wheeler and dealer?Adam Sandell is a pastor in the Church of Sweden in the small town of Lund. His wife, Stella’s mother, is a prominent criminal defense attorney.
They seem to have the perfect family, successful and peaceful. Yet there are things brewing below the surface.
The narrative is n three parts: Adam’s story about how he found God, married Ulrika, had Stella and his hopes and desires for her. He tells his story in a very peaceful way, similar to how a pastor should act.
Stella, a rebellious 18-year old’s story is more energetic and is about a controlling father, an absentee mother and her desire to be herself, not anyone else’s idea of who and what she should be. And she talks about her best friend, Amina, the perfect child.
Ulrika’s story is about a mother who is not as popular with her daughter as is her husband, a mother who prefers working at things she can win, such as criminal trials but sees a means of reconnecting with her daughter as Stella remains in jail and goes to trial.
In reality, neither Adam nor Ulrika know their daughter or have any control over her lfie. The question is whether they will sacrifice their moral code (Adam) or their ethical code (Ulrika) to keep their daughter our of prison?
A Nearly Normal Family is engrossing and once you start reading, you just want to keep on reading. Not quite a mystery nor a courtroom drama nor a police procedural, it is a story of a fractured family keeping up appearances and testing the glue that holds the family together. And yet, it is a book for mystery lovers because you don't know what really happened until the very end...although you may have some ideas along the way.
I can’t wait to see what Edvardsson comes up with next. It is a good mystery from an author to be on the lookout for.
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LibraryThing member Eowyn1
too much religion
ISBN
1250204437 / 9781250204431